In a wireless communication network, broadcasting saves bandwidth as well as energy utilization and is therefore used as an efficient means to send the same information to many users. An example of such broadcasting is live television (TV). In order to reach many users, the broadcasting, i.e. transmitted signal, is often processed so as to reach a large coverage area. However, broadcasting also creates interference within the wireless communication network.
In contrast, point-to-point communication is intended to reach only a particular user, and in order to improve coverage for the point-to-point communication, beamforming may be used. Radio propagation conditions may require beamforming, and this is in particular the case for bandwidths comprising higher frequencies, e.g. 60 GHz and higher. The beamforming results in a signal that is optimized for the particular user in a given direction, and interference can be reduced towards other users in other directions. Further, the more directive the beam is, the more the link-budget is improved in general. However, as the directivity increases, it will only be possible for those users that are very close to the center of the beam to receive the signal.
Point-to-point communication could be used also for sending the same information to many users, but this would be a very inefficient use of resources.
The reaching of many users with the same information thus entails tradeoffs, e.g. in view of obtaining the most efficient use of the available bandwidth while minimizing interference.